Illuminated sign for doors.



PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

S. W. AHALT.

ILLUMINATED SIGN FOR DOORS.

APPLICATION FILED 10150.19, 1904.

. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

witness No. 793,628. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905. S. W. AHALT.

ILLUMINATED SIGN FOR DOORS.

nrmouxon IILEDDEG. 1a. 1904.

2 SHEETB-BHEBT 2.

Q G) (D 6 7 filuuantoz ,5: fifZZZazdfia Zi q vitnmaea NITED STATES Patented July 4, 1905.

PATENT Trice.

ILLUMINATED SIGN FOR DOORS- SPECIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 793,628, dated July 4, 1905. Application filed December 19, 1904. Serial No- 237,507.

To all whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL WILLARD AHALT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented new and useful Improvements in Illuminated Signs for Doors, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to illuminated signs for making visible during the night-time the number of a house; and its primary object is to provide a novel, artistic, and highly-useful device of this character which is to have printed or otherwise placed thereon the housenumber and which is adapted to be illuminated by the pressing of a button arranged within convenient reach, whereby the housenumber may be readily discernible.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a device of the character stated which is simple of construction, cheap to manufacture, durable, and eflicient and which may be readily and quickly secured in applied position.

The number of a house is usually painted upon the glass panel of the transom arranged above the street-door and which is readily discernible during the day-time, but which, as is well known, is hard of discernment during the night. My invention is to be used as an auxiliary to this regularly-painted number, so that the same may be made visible by simply pressing a button, and which is so arranged that it will not obstruct the view .of the regular house-number.

The invention consists inthe construction,

combination, and arrangement of parts more fully hereinafter described, claimed, and illuswhich disclose the preferred form of my invention, and in which Figure 1. is an elevation of the street-door .of a house, illustrating the application of my improved device.

Fig. 2 is a central transverse section through the device and a plan view of the circuit, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevational View of the device.

Referring to the drawings by reference characters, A designates a casing which is adapted to carry the house-number and in which is arranged an electric light adapted to be illuminated by the pressing of a button, 7

.13 to supply so that the number carried thereby may be made visible during the night-time. The casing has the upper portions of its front wall 1, rear wall 2, and side walls 3 turned down to provide flanges 4:, through which is adapted to pass any suitable fastening means to secure the device in applied position. The lower portion of the front wall 1 is directed inwardly and downwardly toward the bottom 5 and is provided with an elongated opening 6, whereby an inclined supporting-frame 7 is provided. Arranged in front of the opening 6 is a glass panel 8, upon which is adapted to be painted or otherwise secured the housenumber. To permit of the application of the panel 8, the front wall is provided with an elongated opening 9, and the lower edge of the vertical portion of the front wall 1 is inclined inwardly to provide a flange 10, between which and the upper edge of the frame 7 the upper edge of the panel is adapted to rest, whereby it is immovably secured in applied position.

In order to make the number upon the panel 8 visible during the night-time, I arrange within the casing A an electric globe 11, which has secured thereto the terminals of wires 12, the opposite terminals thereof being in communication with any source of electric supply. It is preferably desired to use batteries the light, and these batteries may be arranged at any convenient point adjacent to the casing A. Interposed in the'circuit 12 is a button-switch 14, whereby the circuit is normally broken.

The casing is adapted to be secured in applied position to the under edge of the lintel 15, above the regular house number, as is fully disclosed in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The electric globe 11 is also adapted to besecured to the lintel 15 centrally of the casing A, and the batteries 13 may be arranged within the vestibule at any convenient point. The switch 14 is so adapted to be secured in applied position upon the door-frame that the button 17 thereof may be within convenient reach.

The operation of the device may be stated as follows: When it is desired to determine the number of a particular house, the button 17 is pressed, thereby closing the circuit and illuminating the globe 11. This illumination of the globe 11 will makev visible the number upon the panel 8, whereby the house-number may be easily discernible] It will be seen that the panel 8 is arranged at such an inclination to the vertical casing and door-frame as to be clearly visible to a person standing on the porch or steps below, so that the house-number of the panel may be readily observed by the person actuating the push-button 18. The transoms of some housedoors are provided with outwardly jutting or projecting sills, which prevent the sign-numbers from being seen by persons standing'on the door-sill or on the landing of the steps adjacent to said sill. This obviates the use of the electric illuminator in connection with the regular sign-number on the pane or panel of the transom in connection with a controlling push-button or switch mounted on the door-casing, as the operator standing closeto the door to operate the button could not observe the door-number, for the reason that it would be obscured from the view by the jutting transom -sill. My invention obviates this objection, as the inclination-panel and its position in advance of the transom permits the number on the panel or plate 8 to be readily observed by a person standing on the door sill or landing of the step and operating the push-button 17.

From'the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and advantages of my improved illuminator will be readily apparent without requiring any further extended explanation. It will be seen that the device is simple of construction, that said construction permits of its manufacture at small cost, and that it is exceedingly well adapted for the purpose for which it is designed.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. In an auxiliary number-sign for housedoors, the combination with a frame and its transom, the latter bearing the usual signnumber, of a casing secured to the door-frame in advance of the transom and having an inclined sign-panel visible from the door-landing below, an illuminator in the casing, an electric circuit in' which said illuminator is included, and a switch for said circuit mounted on the door-frame so as to be operated by a person standing on the door sill or landing.

2. In an auxiliary number-sign for housedoors, the combination with a door-frame and its transom, the latter bearing the usual signnumber, of a casing secured to the lintel of the door-frame in advance of the transom and having an inclined sign-panel visible from the landing below, a lamp in the casing fixed to the lintel, and an electric circuit in which said lamp is included, and a switch for said circuit mounted on the doorframe so as to be operated by a person standing on the landing.

3. In an auxiliary number-sign for housedoors, the combination with a door-frame and its transom, the latter bearing the usual signnumber, of a casing secured to the lintel of the door-frame in advance of'the. transom, said casing being open at its upper end and provided with flanges for attachment to the lintel and having at its lower front portion an inclined sign-panel visible from the doorlanding below, an electric lamp fixed to the lintel and projecting into the casing, an electric circuit'in which said lamp is included, and a switch for said circuit mounted on the door-frame so as to be operated by a person standing on the landing, substantially as described.

4. A sign of the character described comprising a casing open at the top and provided at its upper edge with attaching-flanges and having its lower front portion cut away to form an inclined opening, and a sign-panel carried by the casing and exposed through the opening.

5. A sign of the character described, comprising a casing open at its top and provided at its upper edge with attaching-flanges, said casing being obliquely cut awayat its lower front portion to form an opening and provided with holding means adjacent to said opening, and a transparent panel exposed at the opening and secured by the said holding means.

6. A sign of the character described comprising a casing open at its top and provided at its upper edge with attaching-flanges, said casing being obliquely cut away at its lower front portion to form an opening and provided with a slot communicating therewith at the top of the opening and a panel adapted to be inserted and removed through said slot and supported within said casing and in rear of the opening.

7. A sign of the character described comprising a casing open at the top and provided at its upper edge with attaching-flanges, said casing being obliquely cut away at its lower front portion to form anopening, the upper and lower walls of the opening forming supporting-flanges, the front of the casing also being formed with a slot above the opening, the upper wall of the slot being turned inward parallel with the upper flange to form a guide and holder, and a transparent signpanel adapted to be inserted and removed through said slot and to rest at its lower edge against the flange at the bottom of its opening and at its upper edge between the flanges of said guide and holder, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL WILLARD AHALT.

Witnesses:

EDWIN FORREST HAYNER, ROBERT M. COLLINS. 

